Where are all the apples?

I love this time of year. The tomatoes are ripening, the egg plants are ready for frying, and the cucumbers are perfect for eating right off the vine. This year’s summer has been hot and many vegetables and flowers are enjoying the heat. But remember that warm spring and quick freeze we had? I do each time I walk out to look at my apple tree.

In years past, I’ve had an abundance of apples dropping off the branches -- so much that I was able to make several cases of apple wine. This year… two apples.

Yes, just two.

The Pessimistic Gardener in me thinks… no apple crisp to bring into my work friends, no canned apples to enjoy in November, no apple wine for 2012.

As an Optimistic Gardener, I think this example shows me that pruning apples judiciously produces better fruit. The two that we have are beautiful. No worms, no scab, no diseases. They’re lovely. I also don’t need to worry about picking up the fallen fruit – that’s one fall chore I can cross off my list. And maybe, just maybe, this will break the cycle of apple maggots in my back yard.